# Pink Earth Lichen

*Dibaeis baeomyces*

Though they look like tiny pink mushrooms, the stalks are actually fungal fruiting bodies called apothecia growing from a leafy green crust.

- **Taxonomy:** Fungi › Ascomycota › Lecanoromycetes › Pertusariales › Icmadophilaceae › Dibaeis
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Acidic soils, clay banks, road cuts, and disturbed ground in open woodlands.
- **Diet:** Autotrophic (via symbiotic green algae) and mineral absorption.
- **Range:** North America, Europe, Asia
- **Size:** Stalks 2-6 mm tall; crustose colonies can spread up to 30 cm.
- **Lifespan:** Several decades
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Soil compaction, heavy off-road foot traffic, and overgrowth by invasive vascular plants.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless. You can observe this lichen up close without any danger. Avoid stepping on the clay banks where they grow, as they are fragile, slow-growing, and help prevent soil erosion. No special precautions are needed if touched, though washing hands afterward is good practice.

## About

Dibaeis baeomyces , commonly known as pink earth lichen , is a fruticose lichen belonging to the family Icmadophilaceae. The species was first described by Linnaeus.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/77bf5939-d446-4789-aed5-abe212ff5b45
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/117422
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dibaeis baeomyces
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/2819629/medium.jpg (Ken-ichi Ueda, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.